New life for ancient ruins

The writing on the brocade tells of an astrological phenomenon when five planets — Venus, Mars, Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter — appeared in a particular position in the sky. It was believed to be a good omen for the fight in "zhong guo", which at that time was a geographical concept referring to the central plains in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.

Aside from the characters, the brocade features bright colors and a series of auspicious designs widely popular in ancient China, such as clouds, birds and beasts that ward off evil, as well as the sun and moon. The brocade was so beautifully made that archaeologists believe the piece represents the highest achievement of brocade-making during the Han Dynasty, according to Xinjiang Museum.

"We don't know if it was made in Niya, but the weaving technique was originally from the southwestern part of Sichuan province," says Fan Wei, the creative designer of the exhibition.

"We believe the brocade is evidence of the exchange between different ethnic groups from different parts of the country," he tells China Daily.

The fourth section of the exhibition is an interactive installation that invites visitors to try their hand at traditional weaving on a digitally rendered machine and re-create the making of the nationally treasured brocade.

Jingjue in Niya was one of 36 vanished states in the western region of ancient China. Important heritage and artifacts from the other states are also displayed in this section, reflecting the continuous exchange and communication between ancient peoples.

Visitors will see many artifacts from the Niya site and learn about the archaeological discovery of Jingjue, beginning with the expedition by British explorer Aurel Stein in 1901 to the contemporary exploration, restoration and research on the ancient state.